Gratitude
by LeanaVine
Summary: Ben Solo works at a small, local Starbucks, and his world shifts when he meets Rey, a sweet, yet somewhat mysterious new customer. Ahsoka ships it, but Anakin is unsure of this new girl at first. (Starbucks!AU. Will probably eventually include some smut, so ratings and warnings will change later. Reylo, Ben/Rey. Hinted Anisoka, Anakin/Ahsoka.)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey guys! So I know I already have another _Star Wars_ story going right now (along with several others that I haven't worked on in like a year oops), but this idea came to me the other night, and I just couldn't pass it up. I actually work at Starbucks, and have wanted to write a story about Starbucks for a while. This was just an idea that clicked. I hope you guys like it, and I hope that, if you're a fan of Starbucks, you can appreciate my barista humor.

As always, I do not share any views expressed by any characters in this story. And I own nothing in this story.

Okay, please read, review, and enjoy!

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Ben didn't _hate_ his job at the local Starbucks, he would just much rather be at home in bed right now. Ahsoka was in the back busy getting caught up on the dishes that night crew had left for them that morning. He knew they did it out of spite, and so he'd told Ahsoka not to bother with them, but she'd said that she couldn't stand to just leave them there. So, Ben was left in the front of the store alone. Everything was pretty much stocked, so he was scrolling through Tumblr on his phone.

It was just like any other day, until-

"Excuse me." It was a soft, British voice, and something about it struck Ben and caused him to freeze. He looked up from his phone to see a beautiful, unkempt brunette standing at the cash register. He felt embarrassed for a moment, having been caught on his phone during work, but that faded when she giggled. Oh...that was a very nice sound.

Ben cleared his throat, pushing off the counter and standing in front of the register. "Um, how can I help you, miss?" he asked, voice a little shaky. The younger girl's face was flawless, aside from the clusters of freckles on her nose, which were too cute to really be flaws. Kinda like dandelions.

He was pulled from his musing when she said, "I've...never been here before, and I'm a little lost." She smiled, looking a little shameful. Her eyes said, _oops_. Ben opened his mouth to speak, but she added, "I got this card," she held up a Starbucks gift card - a Halloween one with a black cat and a pumpkin on it, "and I think there's $10 on it? What exactly can that get me?"

Ben wanted to just keep staring at her, but he was speaking before he could think twice about it. "Well, $10 is pretty much enough for a drink and a cookie, if you want."

"Really?" She seemed to light up at this. "I was scared I wouldn't have enough for food. Well, that's good news." The young woman grinned, looking so excited about the prospect of a snack with her coffee.

He couldn't help but smile back at her. "So what do you like? Do you like coffee, or do you maybe prefer tea?" Was that stereotypical to assume that since she was British, she may want tea? No, lots of young women loved tea.

She pondered for a moment, looking at the menu. "I'm not sure... I think I tried coffee once, but it was pretty bitter." The girl made a sour face, and Ben chuckled, which made her giggle too. God, she was intoxicating. "What do you have that's really sweet?" she asked.

Ben thought for a second. "Hot or cold?"

"Hmm...hot? It's a bit chilly out, yeah?"

With a nod, Ben glanced over at the various syrups to his left. "Well, you could get a latte, with any flavor you like." He was met with a confused gaze, and smiled. "Okay, so, do you know what a latte is?" The girl shook her head, and he chuckled again. He wasn't trying to be condescending. She was just cute. "Well, a latte is basically steamed milk and espresso, and you can add any flavored syrup that you'd like."

"Espresso is that coffee that has tons of caffeine, right?" she asked, hand on her cheek, either in thought or apology. "I just...feel like a moron, but I honestly don't know much about coffee. Just what I've read, really."

Waving a hand, Ben dismissed her insecurities. "You're not a moron, trust me. You want to see a moron?" He hunched down so that he was eye-level to her, and started to feel his heart rate quicken. Motioning with a nod of his head, he said, "That guy over there?" He waited for her to discretely turn and look at the older man in the corner, sipping from a glass mug. "He comes in almost every morning, orders a caramel macchiato, upside down, minus the caramel, add an extra pump of vanilla." When the girl looked even more confused than before, Ben wondered why he told a barista joke to a newbie, hoping it would help her feel less dumb. "Sorry. He's basically paying extra for a vanilla latte, when he doesn't have to. I- I feel like the moron here."

The girl giggled. "Well, I hope that someday I can understand your joke, but I appreciate you trying to help me feel better." Her smile held so much warmth, Ben felt the muscles in his back relax, as if looking at her was equivalent to laying in a hot bath. Was that weird? Stop being so weird, Ben.

"Don't worry," he assured her, "I'll teach you everything you need to know about coffee, and then you'll get why Dave knows less than you do now." He straightened, putting a hand on his hip. "Anyway, back to your order. Something hot and sweet, let me see..." He almost laughed when he thought, _"I can't suggest that she order one of herself, can I?"_ Ben looked at the menu in an attempt to hide his smile. "Well, do you like caramel? What about white chocolate?" He glanced back at her, awaiting her answer.

She appeared to be focusing hard. "Well, I really love caramel and chocolate, but I'm not sure about white chocolate. Do you have anything that has caramel _and_ chocolate?"

Nodding, Ben said, "You could just get a mocha with caramel added, or you can try the salted caramel mocha."

The girl raised her hand over her head, as if she were in elementary school. When Ben nodded to her, she lowered her hand and asked, "What's mocha?"

"Oh, right. Well, mocha is just the coffee way of saying chocolate. So, if you order a mocha latte, that's espresso, steamed milk, and chocolate sauce," Ben told her. He only just now thought about the other customers, but when he looked over the girl's head, there was no one behind her.

Glancing over the menu once more, she finally decided, "Can I have a salted caramel mocha?"

Ben smiled. "Great, of course. What size?"

She looked stumped again. "Oh... Well, I know that it's not small, medium, and large here, but I don't know what the sizes actually are."

"Well, you can still say small, medium, or large if you want. I don't mind."

The girl shook her head defiantly. "No, I need to learn the right terms."

Ben smiled. "Well, okay." He pointed to the small size. "This is a tall." Then the next. "Grande." Then the biggest hot cup. "And venti."

She looked at the cups one at a time, as if repeating their names in her mind. Ben thought she was too cute, trying so hard to memorize the right words. Sadly, if she weren't this adorable, he probably never would have spent this much time on her. He just would've suggested a white mocha and told her to wait at the end of the counter. The girl finally said, "Okay, I'll take a grande salted caramel mocha."

He couldn't have been prouder. "You already sound like a pro," he admitted, and she smiled bashfully at the floor, folding her hands behind her back. This was a small Starbucks, where there was no drive-thru, and all the cups were written on with black Sharpies, not labeled with a sticker printed off the register. Ben didn't have the best handwriting, but he moved slowly on this girl's cup, wanting to do his best. When he had the code for the drink written, he looked up at her again. "Can I have your name?"

She smiled, pushing some hair out of her face. "Rey."

After Ben had written her name on the cup, looping the Y in a pretty way, he put the cup on the counter and held out his hand to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rey."

The girl looked a little surprised, then beamed, taking his hand and shaking it. "And it's nice to meet you," she stopped to look at the chalk writing on his name tag, "Ben."

From the other end of the counter, Ahsoka smiled at Anakin, who was sitting in a bar stool. "This is weird," Anakin admitted. "Ben is never this nice to any of the customers."

"That's because he likes her, _duh_ ," Ahsoka told him with a huge grin. "This could be the start of something wonderful."

Rolling his eyes, Anakin replied, "Oh please, give me a break. There's no way Ben would ever get into a relationship."

"Everyone needs someone," Ahsoka said, looking a little sad.

Shaking his head, Anakin answered, "Not Ben."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hey guys, happy Spoopy Day! I hope it's a great one for all of you!

I wanted to give a shout out to ToughSpirit and Pilot Girl for reviewing the first chapter! Glad you guys think it's cute, and I hope that you'll continue to like the story.

I do have quite a few ideas for this story, but I'm not sure how to get to them, you know what I mean? So please, be patient with me, and I'll try to update again soon!

As always, please read, review, and enjoy!

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After putting her drink order into the computer, Ben looked back up at Rey. "Okay, so, which pastry would you like?" he asked.

Suddenly, she was puzzled again. She hadn't even looked in the pastry case yet. As she walked over to it, Rey asked, "Do you have any suggestions? Do you have a favorite?" There was a lot to choose from, and she was pretty hungry, so it would be hard to make up her mind on her own.

Ben quirked his lip, glancing into the case himself. "I don't eat a lot of sweets, honestly," he admitted. "Umm, can't go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie, warmed up. Or maybe a blueberry muffin?" He pointed to some shriveled, brown muffins with green seeds. "I would avoid the morning muffins, though. They're not terrible, but I wouldn't spend money on them."

Rey giggled. "They look...healthy." Then she pointed to a pastry with chocolate coming out the ends. "What's that?"

"Oh that? That's a chocolate croissant." He half smiled. "They're pretty good, and it's cool that they're good either room temp or warmed up."

The teen girl gently tapped on the glass with a smile. "One of those, please. Warmed up, if that's okay."

Ben happily put the pastry on a piece of wax paper and placed it in the oven. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, that'll do, thank you."

As Ben walked back to the register, he noticed Ahsoka talking to Anakin at the end of the bar. He cleared his throat, and the Togruta girl straightened. Ben motioned to Rey's cup with his eyes, and the other girl gasped quietly. "Oh, sorry," she apologized, hurriedly making the drink. He could hear Anakin chuckling from his bar stool.

Ben put Rey's order into the register, then looked down at her kindly. He was about to speak when the oven _beep_ ed. "Hold on one second." He quickly took out the croissant, and put it in a brown bag before handing it to the younger girl. "Okay, that'll be $8.67."

Letting out a whistle, Rey handed over her _spoopy_ gift card. "Seems like quite a bit for a drink and croissant, but I guess it is a _fancy_ drink." She wrinkled her nose and smiled, giggling a little.

Ben couldn't help but smile back at her and nod in agreement. "It is kinda dumb, but I guess when you think about it, it does kinda make sense. People say that's a lot of money for a drink, but they're mostly paying for the espresso. Starbucks uses pretty nice coffee, so they get to charge a little bit more than McDonald's."

"Filthy place," Ahsoka muttered under her breath as she topped the salted caramel mocha with whipped cream.

Rey looked at Ben with a bit of confusion, so he clarified, "A lot of Starbucks employees hate McDonald's and some other cheap coffee places. They cheapen everything, and make a mockery of what we stand for."

"Amen," Ahsoka added with a smile, handing the drink to Ben.

With a giggle, Rey said, "You seem pretty passionate about your job."

"Who me?" Ben asked. "No, that's Ahsoka."

"It's true," the red-skinned girl added, "I care way more about the job than Ben, or anybody else for that matter. Coffee is an art that should be respected."

Rolling his eyes, Ben retorted, "Now you sound like Thrawn."

"Hey," Ahsoka countered, "you say that like it's a bad thing! I happen to think Thrawn is awesome. He's so smart, and he's been everywhere."

Ben turned away from her, to look back at Rey and hand her her drink. "Sorry, talking about another regular. Anyway, I hope you have a good day."

"Yeah, come back and see us!" Ahsoka piped in. Before Ben could protest, she was walking to the other end of the counter to talk to Anakin again.

Rey looked a bit bashful, but smiled. "She seems nice." Ben scoffed, and Rey laughed. "Really, is she so bad?"

With a shrug, Ben replied, "I guess not. There's worse, for sure, but I'd never let her know that." He glanced over at Ahsoka, who was giggling at something that Anakin was saying, like always.

Rey shrugged, too. "Well, here I go, I guess," she said, raising her drink. She eyed it carefully before taking a very slow drink, careful so that she wouldn't burn her tongue. First came the cool whipped cream and caramel drizzle, so sweet. Then was the coffee. It was hot, but not as hot as she'd been expecting, and sweeter than she thought it would be, too. The dark chocolate and salted caramel mingled together well. She hummed, licking her lips. "Oh, that's _so_ good. Even better than I anticipated."

Ben grinned. "Great, well, I'm so glad you like it. It's a pretty popular drink, so I thought you would. I'm just glad your first experience at a Starbucks was a good one." He raised a brow. "It was a good one, right?"

She nodded happily. "Of course! You guys are really nice. I was expecting you to suggest something gross and expensive and take my money." When he looked a bit sad, she added, "Well, I just figured you'd all take your coffee very seriously."

"I do," Ben replied, "but everyone has to start somewhere. And I'd be an ass if I was mean to you just because you'd never been here before."

Rey smiled at the floor. "You're kind, I appreciate that. I need more of that in my life." She seemed solemn, like she'd been through a lot and was battle-worn. Ben wanted to know more, but he wouldn't go digging. After all, he hardly knew her, though he did want to get to know her. He didn't want to think about how odd it was that he _did_ want to get to know someone - a girl, especially.

"Well," he finally said, licking his lips nervously, "you should come back and see us again, like Ahsoka said, and hang out sometime. We're not usually very busy, and we have WiFi."

She giggled again. "That sounds great." Rey looked at the floor again. "Umm, I'm new to the area, and I don't have any friends here yet, so I may just have to take you up on that."

Ben couldn't help but smile and laugh nervously. "Well, great, I'd like that." He ran a hand through his jet black hair. Ben wasn't the best with social interactions.

As it turns out, Rey wasn't either. "Okay. I'll, umm, talk to you later?" Ben nodded to her, and she waved her croissant before walking over to a table to sit down.

Honestly, Ben couldn't help but watch her as she munched on her snack. She was just so cute, and he was infatuated with her immediately.

"Are you in love?" Ahsoka asked over his shoulder, making him jump and burn himself with the hot milk he was pouring.

He mumbled an _ouch_ before replying, " _No_." As he dried his hand, he lied, "She's just nice, is all. Nice people are..."

"Nice?" Anakin chirped with a smirk. "C'mon, Ben, tell me Snips is wrong. You're not actually forming an attachment, are you?"

"Haha," Ben grumbled, finishing constructing a caramel macchiato for a customer and calling out her name. "And, to be clear, I'm not against attachments. I just...don't form them often."

"He's in looove," Ahsoka cooed, swaying and clutching her hands to her chest.

Ben gently nudged her. "Immature." She and Anakin both laughed in response and Ahsoka made kissy faces.

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 **A/N:** Sorry that this chapter is kinda short. Just not pulling enough inspiration today. Next chapter will be better, I promise *insert hearts and spoopy pumpkins*


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Woah, two chapters in one day? Weird of me. Please don't expect this again anytime soon, lol.

Again, hope you're having a spoopy night!

Please enjoy! And thanks to those of you reviewing! *looks at Pilot Girl fondly*

* * *

"So," Ahsoka pondered, leaning her elbow on the counter, "what are you going to do about your new crush?"

Ben shot her a quick glare, then kept setting up the pastry case, placing the scones on one of the white, plastic stands. "Don't you have tea to make? And a ton of other things to do?"

It was 6:33 am, the day after Ben had met Rey, who was the subject of Ahsoka's questions, and they were _supposed_ to be prepping the store for open. "Yeah," she replied, "I have ice coffee to make, I need to fill the ice bin, and get the sanitizer trays." She grinned. "But I wanna talk about you and Rey."

Shrugging his shoulders, Ben replied, "There's nothing to discuss. She's a nice girl. What more do you want from me?"

"I want you to tell me how you really feel!" Ahsoka looked so determined. Why was she so fired up this morning? It was _way_ too early for that kind of enthusiasm. "Search your feelings, Ben. You know there's something more than just, 'she's a nice girl.'"

With a groan, Ben unwrapped a confetti sugar cookie. "Just save your energy for your work, try channeling it into that, okay?"

The red-skinned girl smirked. "Alright, I'll leave you alone for now. But just remember, you never denied having feelings for her."

Ben choked, and was about to snap back - or snap the cookie in half - but Ahsoka had already walked away, and started pouring hot water into the passion tea pitcher. He sighed, continuing his work on the pastry case. Why was she so persistent? Was it because he'd never shown interest in another person before? Other than maybe Anakin, but that was because he was fun to talk to, and Ben's oldest friend. They'd known each other since they were children - though Anakin was a little older. They were like brothers. Ben didn't really care about anyone else, other than maybe Ahsoka, but he mostly just tolerated her because they were coworkers, and because Anakin seemed fond of her, for whatever reason. He thought about prodding Ahsoka over her _obvious_ crush on his best friend as payback, but decided not to. That would only show that he cared, which he didn't. He could stand a little teasing. It would probably end after a couple of days, anyway. He just hoped Rey wouldn't be prey to it too.

He wondered if he would see her today or not. Not...that he really cared either way. He shouldn't expect anything, or get his hopes up.

Get his hopes up? Did he really want to see her again so badly?

Ben scoffed, slamming the pastry case closed and scaring Ahsoka bad enough to make her jump and slosh some water on the counter. Without looking at her, he mumbled an apology and walked around the counter to start unstacking chairs.

Soon, it was 7 am, and they were opening the store, though there were no customers waiting outside. It was rainy today, typical weather for October. Finn would be here soon, too, then Ben could start doing supervisor things, like counting the safe and recording temps. He and Ahsoka were both scrolling through their phones - Ben on Tumblr, Ahsoka on Instagram - when the door _ding_ ed and someone entered.

It was Rey. She was shivering, taking down her hood and tapping her boots on the floor mat to get rid of the rain. Ahsoka gasped. "Hey, it's Rey!" she called, and Ben's face started to feel a little hot. "Welcome back, Rey," she said with a wide, warm smile.

The other teen girl smiled back. "Hello. Nice to see you again." She turned to Ben shyly. "Hi Ben."

Oh. When she said his name, shivers raced up Ben's spine. He managed a shaky laugh and a crooked smile. "Good morning."

"Pft. What's good about it?" Ahsoka countered, scowling at the dark, heavy clouds outside.

"Oh no," Rey chimed, "rain is the best! I came to this place just for the rain." She looked at Ben, who stiffened. "I come from a place with no rain, almost no natural bodies of water."

"Wow, you really are from out of town, then, aren't 'chya?" Ahsoka asked curiously, and Ben grunted. God, she just didn't know how to _shut up_ , did she? But Rey giggled, so he dismissed his annoyance.

Rey pushed some wet hair from her face. "I'm from somewhere very far from this place," she admitted, "but I like it much better here. It's a little scary, being on my own, but this place is beautiful, and I've already met some really nice people." She beamed at Ben when she said this, and he wanted to crawl into his black polo and hide.

Ahsoka nodded, and continued her interview. "When did you move into town?"

"The day before yesterday," Rey answered, taking off her jacket and folding it over her arm. She hadn't taken it off the day before, and now Ben must've been blushing, because her arms were _sculpted._ "I suppose I should order something hot?" She was looking at Ben expectantly, who was trying to regain his composure.

Clearing his throat, he replied, "Uh, yeah. That sounds like a good idea. What can I get started for you?"

"Well, first off," she started, pulling out the gift card from yesterday, along with some crumpled $1 bills, "is it possible to pay partially with what's left on this card, and pay the rest in cash?"

Ben smiled and nodded. "Of course. Did you want the same thing as yesterday, or did you want to try something else?"

"Hmm," Rey thought, squinting at the menu, then smiling to Ben's coworker, "what do you think, Ahsoka? Do you have a favorite latte that's sweet?"

Ahsoka practically squeaked with excitement. "I love it when people ask my opinion on drinks! I really love the black and white mocha, but the pumpkin spice is really good, too."

Rey laughed. "But if I order a pumpkin spice, won't that make me 'basic'?" She used air quotes for the last word.

Shaking her head, Ahsoka replied, "Not at all. Just liking pumpkin stuff doesn't make you basic - being a snob, does."

Looking at the menu again, Rey _ooo_ ed, and asked, "What is a pumpkin spice chai latte?"

"It's just a chai tea latte with pumpkin spice added," Ben answered, finally getting a word in. "Chai tea is pretty good, it's cinnamon-y."

"You should _so_ get a pumpkin spice chai and add caramel drizzle, since you like caramel," Ahsoka told her. Ben couldn't help but half smile. Ahsoka was one of those baristas always coming up with weird, sometimes good, flavor combinations. You couldn't always trust her opinion, but this drink idea actually sounded okay.

Pointing at Ahsoka and grinning, Rey said, "Yes, that. One of those. That sounds quite yummy."

The Togruta girl squealed, taking a grande cup and writing Rey's name on it with a heart next to it. "Did you want to add any espresso? Chai does have some caffeine, but you may need more to stay awake in this weather."

Smiling and shrugging, Rey replied, "I trust your judgement."

"That's a mistake," Ben whispered, and she laughed, covering her mouth as if she could hide it from Ahsoka.

A minute or so later, Rey held her drink in both hands, smelling it and humming with joy. She set the drink down in order to hand Ben her money. "Thank you both," she said. "Do you mind if I hang out in here for a bit?"

"Of course not!" Ahsoka chimed. "You're our guest, stay as long as you like."

Sighing in relief, the other girl added, "Good, because it's _freezing_ out there. It's nice and toasty in here. I never thought I'd miss the warmth."

As she was walking over to a table, someone came in the back door. Both the baristas turned to see Finn entering, taking off his black jacket. "Woo, it's cold out there. This is definitely fall," he told them. "How's it been?"

With a shrug, Ben replied, "Slow, as usual."

Then Finn noticed Rey sitting in the corner, sipping on her latte contently. "Hello, who's that? A newbie?"

"Yeah," Ahsoka answered him, "that's Rey. She just moved here and had never been to Starbucks until yesterday."

With a smirk, Finn quipped, "Funny that she didn't start off with Frappuccinos like everyone else. But, I guess it is cold outside." Then, he was walking over to her.

Ahsoka put a hand on Ben's shoulder. "Oh no," she mumbled. "Competition."

Ben swallowed.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Ahhhhhh you guYSSSS! *insert hearts and sobbing emojis* Thank you sooo much for all of the reviews! I appreciate it so much, and I'm so glad that you guys like the story. Shout out to ToughSpirit, PsychoDecoy, and Pilot Girl (and the anonymous guest)!

You so

Fuckin'

Precious

When you

Writesuchsweetandpositivereviews

You guys are great, and I'll try not to let you down. Just letting you know, there are some twists to come *wiggles eyebrows*

As always, please read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

Ben's heart was pounding, and he didn't really understand why. He watched his coworker walk away, skin tingling with nervousness. So what if Finn wanted to talk to Rey? Big deal...right? He didn't care. It wasn't like he actually _liked_ Rey or anything.

Right?

"Hey there, I'm Finn," the barista said, holding out his hand to shake.

Rey looked a bit surprised, putting down her book and tucking some hair behind her ear. "Rey," she said quietly, gently shaking his hand.

"Ahsoka said you're new in town," Finn stated, then grinned. "How are you liking it so far?" He rested his hands on the chair in front of her, and she leaned back slightly.

With a shy smile, Rey replied, "Well, it's a charming town. Your crew is very kind."

Finn chuckled. "Yeah, they're okay people, I guess." He tapped his fingers on the chair. "Well, let me know if you need anything. I'll make sure you're taken care of," he told her with a wink.

She giggled nervously. "Eh, okay, hehe. Buh bye." She picked her book back up, looking like she wanted to bury her face in the pages out of embarrassment, her cheeks pink in the cutest way.

Walking to the back of the store, Finn put on his green apron, checking the pocket to make sure his Sharpies were still there. Ben crossed his arms, leaning against the doorway to the back room. Finn smiled at him. "Hey, she's pretty cute, huh? Kinda shy, or awkward, but cute."

Ben's eyes widened, and he looked away. "I guess."

Laughing as he washed his hands, Finn asked, "You guess? What does that mean?" Then he paused. "Does she have a boyfriend or something?" He looked slightly worried.

Shrugging, Ben replied, "Hell if I know; I just met her yesterday. She didn't give me her life story or anything." Could they just drop this subject? That would be great.

Ahsoka approached them, hands on her hips. "Are you guys talking about Rey?" She didn't look happy, but didn't look angry either. Was she upset about Finn's attraction to Rey, too?

"Yeah, how do I find out if she has a boyfriend?" Finn asked, hand on his chin in thought.

She looked a little disappointed, and glanced at Ben before saying, "Well, she did say that she didn't know anyone in the area, but she could have a boyfriend back home. You could just ask her, couldn't you? I mean, she's pretty easy to talk to. She should give you a straight answer."

Finn sighed nervously. "Yeah, but that's such an awkward thing to ask. Like, how do you even start that conversation without being weird? Talking to her already is like pulling teeth; I can't imagine how asking if she's single would go."

Ahsoka giggled. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. Just be casual about it, not too intense." With that, she turned to wait on the customer at the register.

Taking a deep breath, Finn said, "I'll just wait to ask her, maybe a little while later, if she comes back up for more coffee." He walked past his coworker, going to make the peppermint hot chocolate for the customer.

Ben, who had been silent this whole time, was feeling sick. His skin was hot, yet cold at the same time, and his stomach was full of rocks. Was he jealous? He'd never been jealous over a girl before, so he wasn't sure. Either way, Finn hitting on Rey really bothered him for some reason. Finn wasn't a creepy guy, so Ben wasn't really sure why he felt this way. Maybe he really _did_ like Rey, after all. Could he really just stand idly by and let Finn take the only person he'd ever had a crush on? He'd have to swallow his pride and admit his feelings to himself if he was ever going to be able to fight for Rey. Maybe there was a chance that she could like him too...

He slowly traced the long scar on the right side of his face. He supposed he did look a bit rough, but maybe she could like him anyway? Ben couldn't help the little smile that graced his face. He turned and walked out to the front of the store.

* * *

After Ahsoka came back from her lunch break, shivering and shaking off the rain, Ben looked to Finn. "Okay, I guess I'll go on break now."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Finn replied, not looking up as he made a caramel apple spice.

Ahsoka approached them. "Maybe you should sit with Rey during your break," she whispered after Finn had turned to put whipped cream on the drink. "Just be friendly. She seems to like you, so you could just be a good friend and keep her company."

Ben nodded, then paused when he saw the red-skinned girl smile. "I'm _just_ being friendly," he reminded her. "Nothing more."

She grinned, then held her hands up in defense. "Whatever you say, Ben. Offer her coffee, too. Maybe that could be your ice-breaker."

Then she greeted the customer at the register, and left Ben alone with his thoughts. He shuddered nervously, then shook his shoulders. This wouldn't be too bad, right? It was just being nice and offering her coffee, nothing more. He grabbed a clean rag, clocked out for his break, then walked around the counter and started wiping down tables. Ben watched Rey out of the corner of his eye, waiting for a good moment to approach her. He finally grit his teeth and walked over to her table, and she smiled up at him, keeping a finger in her book to mark her place. "Hello," she said quietly.

He couldn't help but chuckle and let a little smile to his face in return. "Hi. What are you reading?" She turned the book to show him the cover. _Dracula_. "Oh, I've always wanted to read that. It's a classic."

Rey nodded. "It was a birthday gift. I asked for a lot of books this year," she told him with a giggle.

Before he could think twice about it, Ben was pulling out the chair in front of her and sitting down. "Did you just have a birthday?"

She nodded again. "A few days ago, right before I came here, I turned 19. That's how I got that Starbucks gift card." She smiled down at the table shyly. "At first, I wasn't sure what to think of that gift, but now I'm glad I got it." Ben wanted to ask why that was, but something told him he already knew why, and his heart felt light.

"I'm glad you got it, too," he mumbled, a little embarrassed to be admitting such a thing. He looked at her empty, paper cup. "How did you like the latte that Ahsoka made for you? Was it good?"

Smiling, Rey replied, "Yes, it was quite good. She's very creative. I never would've thought of a latte like that on my own."

"Well, I can make you another one, or something different, if you'd like?" Almost as if on cue, he heard Rey's stomach growl quietly under the table. "Or are you hungry? I could get you a pastry or sandwich." He remembered the crumpled money she'd pulled from her pocket, and wondered if she didn't have much money left.

She waved her hands in front of her. "No, no, that's not necessary."

"Yes it is," he replied with a smirk as he stood. "Just let me know what you'd like; it's on me today."

Rey blushed, but stood. "You're too kind," she told him, but followed him dutifully. A few minutes later, she had a warm piece of pumpkin bread and a hot black and white mocha. "Really, I do appreciate this," she said, beaming up at him.

Ben smiled back. "I can't let someone as nice as you be hungry. I may look like a tough guy, but I have my weaknesses." He couldn't believe he was admitting this to her. Something about Rey just made him unable to keep his mouth shut.

She giggled as they sat back down at her table. "Really? Well, Ben, what else makes you weak?"

"Kittens," he replied with a bit of shame, and she laughed. "I mean it!" he admitted, laughing as well. "My Instagram is mostly just cat blogs."

A hand on her face to hide the redness of her cheeks, Rey said, "I never would've pictured you as a cat person. You're right that you look too tough to be into soft, cute things. What else do you like, Ben?"

 _"You,"_ he thought, and he knew his face was red, too. "Oh man, uh, as long as we're digging into my embarrassing thoughts, I really like red wine, candles, and I'm secretly a bath bomb hoe." Rey doubled over laughing, and he admitted, "I've never personally bought one, but I love those videos of people putting them in water and they just explode glitter. It's mesmerizing."

Wiping a tear from her eye, Rey admitted, "You're a surprising person, Ben. I like that." He felt his heart rate quicken. He still loved it so much whenever she said his name with that much happiness in her voice.

From behind the counter, Finn bit his lip, scowling at them slightly.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hope you guys like this chapter! I also thought I'd tell you everyone's ages, since I haven't mentioned that yet. Ben is 22, Anakin is 24, Rey is 19, and Ahsoka is 18. I think Finn is like 20? Haven't really decided, but that sounds right. Love you guys!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Hey guys, thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! I wanted to go over a couple of the entries I received, and clear some things up. Thanks to ToughSpirit, PsychoDecoy, and the guests for their positive reviews! You guys can skip the next part, if you so choose.

SqueakyDolphin6: I'm glad you like the connection between Rey and Ben. I was hoping people would think they had a natural attraction, and that it wouldn't feel too forced. Addressing your feelings about Anakin and Ahsoka, and how it's wrong for the timeline, I have this to say: while I do get where you're coming from - these characters _are_ from very different times - I feel the need to say that this is an AU, or Alternate Universe. This doesn't take place in the world of _Star Wars_. This takes place in an alternate dimension, where their world is a lot closer, in character and culture, to ours. They have Starbucks, and _Dracula_ , Instagram, and Tumblr. While I don't think this story takes place on Earth - because there are aliens and talk of other planets - it takes place on an unnamed planet very similar to Earth. There's no galactic war, no Separatists, no Empire. There probably is war of some kind or another, but it more than likely won't get addressed in this story. So it's okay for Anakin, Ahsoka, Thrawn, and all the other characters I'll soon include to exist in this timeline, because it's a totally alternate dimension. I hope this clears up any confusion you have. I thank you for reviewing, and I hope you'll continue to like this story! :)

Pilot Girl: I will apologize for using the "f-word" in my last author's note. It didn't even occur to me that it would offend anyone, because I was using it in an affectionate way. I would've messaged you directly, but you used a guest account. I will warn you, however, that I have changed the rating for this story. This story does contain adult characters, and I am also an adult (I'm 22), and as such, I will probably be prone to use cursing in my writing. I can assure you that I will try to be more gentle with my writing, in consideration of you, but I can't assure you that this text will be free of profanity, sex, or anything else you may find unappealing. I will include warnings at the beginning of the chapters that include such content, though, from now on. I hope you'll continue reading this story, because I enjoy the support you've given me. :) Thank you!

Anyway, tl;dr, I apologize for the long author's note, but I felt that I needed to respond to those reviews, because my readers are important to me. I responded to Dolphin publicly because I thought some others may have the same confusion, and I responded to Pilot on here, because she didn't use an account to review. I hope that was okay.

Also, just fyi, there is some cursing in this chapter.

I love you guys. Since it's a long author's note, I'll make sure it's a longer chapter, too, okay?

* * *

"Enough about me," Ben said, eyeing her curiously. "I want to know more about you, Rey."

She smiled shyly down at the wooden table, then looked up at him again. "What would you like to know?" Half of her hair was up already, but she began pulling the rest of her hair into a ponytail, off her shoulders. Ben saw freckles on her now-exposed shoulders, and sighed with a little smile, that he quickly tucked away.

"Well," he started, "maybe tell me about some of the things you like? Are you the outdoorsy type?" He could assume as much from her tan and speckled skin, along with her muscular arms. Was it creepy or observant that he had noticed these things about her?

Rey grinned. "I love the outdoors, especially here. I come from the desert, and before I got here, I hadn't seen many trees. Since I arrived here, I've wanted to go hiking or exploring." She rolled her right shoulder. "Maybe you'd like to go with me? You'd probably be a good guide, yeah?"

Chuckling, Ben replied, "I don't know about that. I did grow up here, but I don't know much about hiking and the like." He pointed to his pale white skin as an indicator, and the girl in front of him giggled. "Now Ahsoka, she's more of the athletic type. Maybe you could invite her?" he suggested.

"Of course," Rey responded. "She could come with us." Wait, _us_? Was she actually planning on them going on an adventure together? Aaaaand he'd just suggested they include the meddler. Very smart, Ben.

Ben had a devious thought, and suggested, "Maybe you should invite Anakin, too. He's strong and actually knows about hiking and survival skills. I'm sure you'll like him, after you meet him." He whispered, "Ahsoka is really fond of him."

Rey made an O shape with her mouth, then winked, giving a thumbs-up. "I gotcha. Why don't we all just go camping together when the weather clears up a little? Before it gets too cold out? That could be fun, I think." There was something sad or worried in her smile, and Ben wondered why her expression seemed to be shadowing a touch of pain.

"Of course, I think that would be great." He quirked a brow. "You don't mind that we're strangers to you?" Now that he thought of it, it was a little odd that a young girl was eager to go wandering into the woods with three strangers. Something about that thought turned Ben's stomach. "I mean, you can trust us, but young women should be cautious these days."

"How old are you, Ben?" Rey asked curiously, taking a sip of her latte.

Oh, he'd forgotten to tell her that, hadn't he? "I'm 22."

She smiled. "I tend to trust people around my own age. Now, if you were some older guy, offering to run off into the woods with me, alone, red flags would be popping up. But you're not much older than me, and you're nice. Plus you want to include Ahsoka, who looks around..."

"She's 18," Ben answered.

"Exactly," she stated. "You wouldn't try anything with her there, I know." Rey shrugged. "I just feel compelled to trust you, Ben. Call me crazy. You look a bit rough, but you have a kind soul." When he responded with surprised silence, she commanded, beaming, "Now eat this pumpkin bread with me."

* * *

When Ben returned from his break, tying on his green apron, he gave a little wave to Rey from behind the counter, his face clear of emotion. He'd been smiling a lot lately, more than he had in a while, and it was time to return to his resting-bitch-face. "So," Finn asked as he approached the other barista, his arms crossed, "did you find out if she had a boyfriend?"

Shaking his head, Ben answered, "I didn't ask." He looked to Ahsoka, and said, "Hey, how'd you like to go camping with Rey, Anakin, and I?"

Ahsoka, startled to say the least, was interrupted before she could speak when the door _ding_ ed as someone entered. She and the other baristas looked up to see Anakin, who waved with a little smile, his hair dripping onto his face with rain. "Hey guys." He looked at Ahsoka. "Snips."

She grinned, leaning on the counter. "Skyguy, what can we do for you today? Feel like coffee?" Then her smile faded when she noticed the girl walking in behind Anakin. "Padme, you're here, too." She straightened, faking a smile.

Padme smiled back with a mouth full of white teeth, perfectly framed with darkish-pink lipstick. She lowered the hood of her jacket, her perfect hair still curled and dry, bouncing as she walked, her hips swaying. Inside, Ahsoka was screaming. She hated how beautiful Anakin's girlfriend was. "Hi everyone," the brunette said, looking to Anakin, wrapping her arm around his elbow. "We decided we'd like some coffee to warm up." Padme turned to Ahsoka. "Don't you just hate this weather?"

Laughing awkwardly, Ahsoka walked over to the register. "What can I get started for you guys? Skyguy, do you want your usual?" Even with Padme there, Ahsoka refused to stop calling Anakin by his nickname.

He laughed. "You know me too well, Snips." At least he was still using his nickname for her, too. "The usual French vanilla latte for me, and for you?" he asked, looking at his girlfriend. His _girlfriend_. Ahsoka groaned internally.

Thinking for a moment, Padme answered with her own question for the Togruta barista. "Do you still have pumpkin spice?"

She looked at Ben, who was waiting quietly, then turned back to the customer. "Unfortunately, we're out at the moment," she lied.

"No we're not," Finn piped up, pointing to the half-full container of pumpkin sauce.

She looked at him in shock, then looked back up at Padme with disappointment. "Oh, I guess we're not," she stated, wanting so badly to roll her eyes. Ahsoka began tapping on the computer interface. "Would you like a pumpkin spice latte?" she asked without much enthusiasm.

Smiling warmly, Padme replied, "Yes please, a grande."

Anakin looked confused. "How much do we owe you?" Ahsoka never charged him, so it was weird for her to stare at him, waiting for him to pay.

She paused, then sighed, clearing out the order. "Nothing, sorry. It's on me, today."

Padme cooed, "Awe, that's so sweet of you! Thanks Ahsoka."

"Yeah, thanks Snips," Anakin said quietly as they walked to the end of the counter. He had a slightly worried expression, but it soon faded when Padme tugged on his arm softly, asking if he was okay.

As Ben made their drinks, he couldn't help but look at Ahsoka and wonder if she was alright. Not that he _really_ cared, but he did, just a little. A thought occurred to him. "Hey," he whispered, getting her attention. He held up Padme's cup, and pointed to the peppermint syrup with a devious half smile. Ahsoka's eyes widened, and she mouthed _no!_ But that didn't stop Ben. His smile grew, and put just half a pump of peppermint into the girl's pumpkin spice latte. Ahsoka struggled to retain her laughter, covering her mouth with the back of her hand, nearly snorting. When the drinks were complete, he passed them out. "Enjoy," he said, a little too happily, and Ahsoka hurried to the back to let out some laughs.

Anakin eyed Ben suspiciously. "Uh, thanks," he replied, unsure. He sniffed his drink, then took a sip. He smirked, until Padme made a disgruntled sound. "What is it?"

She shook her head, taking another sip. "Nothing, just my imagination." Smiling, she nodded to Ben. "Very good, Ben. Thank you. Is your's good, Ani?" she asked her boyfriend.

He smiled, and hummed a yes. Then he furrowed his brows. "Where'd Ahsoka go?"

"She's in the back, probably getting cups or something," Finn responded, not so sure himself. Then, she came out of the back room, carrying a stack of hot cup sleeves. "Oh, there she is," he alerted them, pointing at her for a second.

She paused, then raised a hand to wave, dropping a sleeve. Ben hurried over to pick it up for her. "Oh, thanks Ben, that's surprisingly nice of you," she stated, slightly amazed.

Then he dropped the sleeve on top of her stack, and she almost dropped everything she was carrying. "Anything for you," he said, dryly.

As she stocked cups, pushing them down into the dispensers, Anakin pondered aloud, "Hey Ahsoka, you didn't make my drink today."

"So?" she asked, not looking up.

"You always make it," he replied, a little more hushed. He took another drink.

"Isn't it good?" Padme wondered.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, Anakin replied, "Oh, yeah, it's fine. I just wondered... Never mind." He waved the hand not holding his drink. "I guess we'll be going, now. See you guys later." Padme shot him a look. "Or tomorrow, I mean."

Ahsoka turned to walk to the back again. "Bye," she called over her shoulder.

Finn looked after her, then smiled awkwardly. "Don't mind her, she's been in a weird mood today. I think she's tired."

Anakin frowned, but nodded, putting his arm around Padme as they left. He opened the door for her, of course. She was so spoiled. Ben walked to the back, where Ahsoka was struggling to pull out a sleeve of cold venti cups that were stuck. "Could you've been any more obvious?" he asked, reaching around her to yank out the stack of cups. He handed them to her, and saw how disappointed she looked. He sighed. "I know you hate Padme, but-"

"I don't hate her," Ahsoka interrupted, clutching the cups to her chest. "I just..."

"She makes Anakin happy," Ben told her. He frowned, then put a hand on her shoulder gingerly. "But it's not like they're married. You _could_ still have a chance. Be patient. I know you make him happy, too."

Ahsoka smiled up at him, tears welling in her eyes. "For someone with no experience dating, you always know the right thing to say." She sniffled a little.

Ben scoffed, pulling his hand away. "I'm single by choice, okay?"

She laughed. "Yeah, I know." Her smile turned a bit sad. "Isn't it lonely? Being alone, I mean."

Rolling his eyes, he replied, "I'm not alone. I have a cat." She quirked her white brow. "And Anakin." She grunted. "And...you."

Ahsoka giggled, putting a hand on his scarred cheek. "Of course you do." She pulled her hand back, turned, and smirked over her shoulder. "And now you have Rey, too."

Ben choked, and Ahsoka cackled, walking away with her cups.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** What's up, my dudes? I hope you're all doing well. Sorry I haven't posted anything in a bit. I was trying to write yesterday, but I couldn't focus. I kinda sorta went like 35 hours without sleep ^^' But don't worry, I slept really well last night, and I'm ready to write!

It snowed here yesterday! It was really pretty, and I enjoyed it with some hot chocolate :3

Anyway, I wanted to thank the four people that reviewed the last chapter: ToughSpirit, BooksAreEverything3, Pilot Girl, and a guest. Thanks so much you guys! Spirit, I'm glad you care about Ahsoka and her struggle. That will really come into play a little bit later. Books, thanks so much for your review! I really value how much you like this story; it means a lot to me, and really motivates me to do even better. Pilot, I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I hope you'll like this one, too. And to the guest, yes, Padme is indeed here lol. And she is gonna cause _quite_ a bit of drama ;)

Thanks to everyone that has reviewed the story thus far. You guys are great, and really make me happy with your positive reviews. Please let me know if there's anything you think I could do better on or anything you think would make a good addition.

Thanks for reading!

(omgIhavenoideahowtostartthischapter)

* * *

"Hey, did you hear that it's supposed to snow this Tuesday?" Ahsoka asked, scrolling on her phone.

Anakin grunted, rolling his eyes. "It's only just now _November_. Do you really believe that?" He sipped on his French vanilla latte from a green, paper cup covered in white stars.

She looked up from the screen to quirk a brow at him. "Do I believe what? That snow is possible this time of the year? Uh...yeah?"

"Ever heard of global warming?" he countered.

"Do you still have the Witch's Brew Frappuccino?" a customer asked Ben while typing something on her phone.

Ben sighed from behind the register. "No, we don't. That offer only lasted through Halloween." He hated these stupid, special Frappuccinos that only came around for a week at a time and people continued asking for them for almost a month later. The Witch's Brew didn't even taste that good; people just wanted it to take selfies.

The young woman scoffed, looking like Ben had just told her to gtfo, which, frankly, he _did_ want to. "That was only a few days ago. You _do_ still have the things to make it, don't you?"

Really, they'd gotten _way_ more purple powder - or _frog's breath_ \- than they'd needed, so, yes, they did still have the ingredients to make the drink. "No, ma'am, we disposed of those supplies after the offer ended. It's part of our policy. That's why these things are offered for a limited time only. Can I get you anything else?"

"I want to speak to your supervisor," she responded, furrowing her brows and crossing her arms, phone still clutched in her hand.

Ben had been waiting for an opportunity like this one. "I _am_ the supervisor, ma'am." Inside he was cheering for himself, but outwardly, his face was blank.

"This is ridiculous!" she exclaimed. "I'm going to write corporate about this." She pointed a finger in his face, making his jaw tighten slightly. "You just lost a customer." With that, she turned, flipping her short, blond hair, and exited, her high heels _click_ ing on the floor.

Ahsoka and Anakin watched the woman leave, then Ahsoka walked over to Ben. "Geez, what was her problem?"

Shrugging, Ben replied, "I told her we couldn't make the Witch's Brew."

Ahsoka's shoulders slumped. "Oh I wish people would stop asking for that."

"You know what I wish?" Anakin asked from his seat at the bar. "I wish you weren't already playing Christmas music in here." He grit his teeth. "It's only been a few days, but I'm already losing my mind." Anakin rested his head on one of his hands, propped up by his elbow. "It's torture," he admitted over-dramatically.

The Togruta female cooed, walking over to him. "What, does the big man baby not like the holidays?" she asked in a baby voice, pursing her lips.

His mouth a flat line, he gave her a look of _really?_ "I don't hate the holidays, but look at this place." He idled a hand around the room, at the Christmas decor and holiday cups for sale. "It's not even Thanksgiving yet. There's no reason to be playing Christmas music already. There's no reason for _any_ of this yet. It's crazy."

"I agree," Ben interjected. "If I hear 'Santa Baby' one more time, I'm burning this place to the ground, then salting the dirt."

Rey giggled from her seat next to Anakin, having been silent this whole time. "That's a bit extreme, don't you think? I, for one, am excited for the holidays. I've never had a white Christmas before. It never snowed back home."

"Really?" Ahsoka asked. "That's so crazy! It snows so much here, it's insane really. Might as well be Hoth."

Ben nudged her. "That's definitely an exaggeration. Have you ever even been to Hoth?"

"No," she replied, hands on her hips, "but Thrawn has been there, and he barely made it out alive. So...maybe it's not quite as bad here, but it's close."

Anakin chuckled. "Not really, Snips." He turned to Rey. "It snows maybe 8-10 inches here during the winter at the most; nothing too extreme." He smirked at Ben. "Still not enough to close the store, though."

The black-haired man groaned. "I hate this place. We'd still be open even if the whole town was on fire."

Rey looked a bit worried. "Does it...really snow that much here?" Why was she worried? Didn't she just say she was looking forward to the winter?

Anakin nodded. "Yeah, so you'll need to dig out a heavier coat." He pointed to the jacket slung over the back of her bar stool. "It's only 45 degrees outside. Why aren't you wearing something thicker?"

She looked down at the wooden counter. "I...haven't unpacked all of my winter clothes yet. I'm not used to the cold." Rey looked uncomfortable, and it worried Ben. What was wrong? Maybe they should change the subject.

"Rey, it looks like your mug is empty." He gestured to the white, glass mug in front of her. "Want another drink?"

Before she could answer, Ahsoka was already back at one of the espresso machines. "What can I make for you this time?" she asked. "How about a toasted white mocha? You seemed to really like that one yesterday."

Looking a bit surprised, Rey smiled softly. "That would be great, Ahsoka," she answered, passing her grande mug over the glass guard on the bar. She'd taken an interest in the house mugs up on the shelves behind the register, and had opted out of using paper cups. Better for the environment this way, she said.

As Ahsoka rinsed out the mug in the sink, she said, "So what about this camping trip I heard about? Ben said something about us going camping before it got too cold."

Anakin raised a brow. "What, the four of us?" he asked.

Rey grinned. "It was an idea I brought up to Ben about a week ago. I thought it could be fun. I've never really been camping before, and I thought we could go hiking as well. The landscape out here is too beautiful to resist."

"That sounds like a great idea," Ahsoka chimed. "We could go this weekend, before the snow comes."

"Yeah, we can go rock climbing," Anakin suggested. "I'm kinda out of shape, but that could be a lot of fun. Can I bring Padme?" he asked.

Ahsoka nearly dropped her metal steaming pitcher, the milk gurgling inside. "I don't see why not," Rey responded. "Who's Padme?"

Anakin smiled warmly. "My girlfriend. If she found out I went camping and didn't invite her, she'd really tear me a new one." He laughed, somewhat nervously. "You'd like her, Rey; everyone loves her."

A cautious giggle came from Ahsoka as she swirled the espresso and syrup together in Rey's mug. "Yeah, she's great."

"Well then, I look forward to meeting her," was her reply, then she looked to Ben. "What do you think, Ben? Does it sound like a plan?"

He froze for a second, then half smiled. "Of course." Looking back at Ahsoka as she poured the steamed milk into the cup, he frowned. He'd really hoped that she and Anakin could've gotten some alone time, but it seemed that wouldn't be the case now. He couldn't imagine Padme camping. Anakin's boo from Naboo was so spoiled and girly, she'd probably cry if she broke one of her perfectly painted nails. Did she even own any shoes that we're high heels? "We'll have to buy enough supplies for five people. What about camping gear? Does anyone have a tent?" he asked the group.

"I do," Ahsoka and Anakin both said at the same time, then they looked at each other and smiled in an embarrassed way. They were so precious, my goodness.

"So do we want to split up the tents among ourselves? Boys in one, girls in the other?" Rey proposed, quietly thanking Ahsoka for her latte as it was handed to her.

Anakin nodded. "Sure. My tent is pretty big, so you girls can have it. Ahsoka, is it okay if Ben and I use your tent?" he asked, making the girl pause.

She chuckled awkwardly. "Sure, that should be fine." She was imagining Anakin sleeping in her tent and how tempting it would be to set that tent up in her living room after the trip and sleep in it, trying to catch traces of his scent. Woah, really weird thought, Ahsoka, back up. She shook the image out of her head, turning to wipe off the steaming wand she'd just used.

"I'm excited that we're actually doing this," Rey said, grinning. "This is going to be so much fun!" She happily took a drink of her toasted white mocha, getting mostly whipped cream and red sprinkles.

A customer walked up, so Ben turned, going over to the register, pulling out a black Sharpie from his new, red apron. "Hi, how can I help you?" he asked dutifully, hearing his friends chatter in the background.

"Hi, yeah, so do you still have the Witch's Brew?" the young man said, looking half asleep.

Ben groaned.


End file.
